District Baseline Market Data Analysis

For the national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) office, Mass Economics pioneered a data and analytics approach for local offices in Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia to transform commercial and industrial corridors into inclusive growth nodes that link neighborhood assets and residents to broader opportunity in the city and region. Working with local LISC staff and based on (socio)economic data, Mass Economics first assisted in the identification of the district boundaries and sub-districts for each city. Detailed profiles of the districts – contextualized within the city, region, and U.S. – were created based on comprehensive analytics and mapping of demographic, socioeconomic, workforce, employment, and commuter flow data to identify the unique challenges and strengths of each district and sub-district. Zoning, public transportation infrastructure, BSOs, workforce development organizations, and locally and federally designated districts (e.g., Opportunity Zones) were also mapped against the districts. After an overview of economic trends in the city and region, Mass Economics performed a cluster analysis that assessed job growth trends, strength and urban contribution, job quality, and job accessibility in order to identify 8-10 opportunity clusters for each city that offered accessible, middle-wage jobs to district residents. By utilizing an approach that is both people- and place-centered and more deeply addresses barriers to inclusive growth and economic mobility, these opportunity clusters and districts represent a strategic opportunity to host and attract business, employment and development opportunities with greater scalability and permanence. Mass Economics also worked with the client to identify data challenges and to construct a benchmarking template to apply to other districts nationwide.